New Orleans sends Chandler to Oklahoma

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- New Orleans and Oklahoma City closed a deal Tuesday that sends center Tyson Chandler to the Thunder in exchange for two players and draft rights to a third.

Oklahoma City will send forward Joe Smith, center Chris Wilcox and the draft rights to center Devon Hardin to New Orleans.

Chandler, who spent the last three seasons with the Hornets, is averaging 8.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in 32 games this season. He was selected second overall in the 2001 NBA draft out of high school by the Los Angeles Clippers.

The 7-foot-1 Chandler played five seasons with the Chicago Bulls before going to the Hornets. In 524 career games, he averaged 8.2 points and 9.0 rebounds.

Wilcox , in his seventh season in the NBA, was averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 37 games for the Thunder. Smith is averaging 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds in 36 games this season. Hardin averaged 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in his senior season at California.